Volume 1, Chapter 20 – The Black-Scaled Jiao King

At the center of the Tianjue Mountain Range stood Black Dragon Pool.

The pool covered a vast area, like an inland sea. Its waters were deep black and bottomless.

The water was icy to the bone, and ordinary living beings found it difficult to approach.

At the center of the lake was an island full of jagged strange rocks. That was the residence of the Black-Scaled Jiao King.

At this moment, deep within the island, inside a spacious palace built from black stone, a massive black jiao over a hundred zhang long was coiled on a stone platform in the middle of the palace, sleeping soundly.

“Great King! Great King!”

Just then, a little demon with a fish head and scale armor stumbled and scrambled inside, shouting in panic,

“Out… outside! In the sky! There’s… there’s…”

“Why are you panicking? What kind of behavior is this?”

The Black-Scaled Jiao King was awakened and gave a displeased low roar. The sound wave shook the little demon until it staggered all over the place.

“Even if the sky falls, this king will hold it up! Speak slowly. What happened outside?”

The fish-headed little demon finally managed to steady itself. It pointed toward the sky outside the hall and stammered,

“In… in the sky, there’s a person! She’s… she’s standing right above our Black Water Palace!”

“Who dares be so bold?”

When the Black-Scaled Jiao King heard this, its vertical pupils shrank, and anger surged up.

In this Tianjue Mountain Range, who would dare be so arrogant as to stand directly above its head?

Its enormous body moved, about to rush out of the palace to see what was going on.

However, just as it swam to the palace entrance…

An indescribable terrifying pressure, like the firmament overturning, descended from the sky as if it had taken solid form.

Boom!

The entire surface of Black Dragon Pool suddenly sank under this pressure.

Countless aquatic little demons in the pool were directly pressed unconscious, floating up to the surface with their bellies turned over.

The Black-Scaled Jiao King’s enormous body suddenly stiffened, as if it had been pinned in place by an invisible giant hand.

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Its dark-golden vertical pupils instantly contracted, and boundless fear poured over it from head to toe like ice water.

This… this is a human’s aura…

It turned its eyes with difficulty and looked toward the sky outside the hall.

It saw a figure quietly suspended directly above Black Water Palace.

That person wore a moon-white flowing immortal dress. Her silver hair was like snow, and her appearance was shrouded in a hazy glow, making it impossible to see clearly.

She stood there so casually, as if she had merged with heaven and earth.

Her calm gaze fell downward and landed on it.

That gaze was calm and without ripples. There was no anger, no killing intent, not even much emotion.

Yet the Black-Scaled Jiao King felt its very soul trembling.

“Se… Senior…”

The Black-Scaled Jiao King used all the strength in its body before it barely squeezed those two words out from its throat.

Its massive body trembled slightly beyond its control. That was fear originating from the depths of its bloodline.

At this moment, countless thoughts flashed madly through its mind.

Had she come to seek revenge?

It did not seem to have ever offended her, right?

Gu Han looked down at the trembling black jiao dragon below.

Mm, the effect was pretty good.

She slightly withdrew a trace of her pressure, allowing the Black-Scaled Jiao King to barely speak.

“You are the demon king of this place?”

Her cold, ethereal voice, like immortal music from the Nine Heavens, resounded all around.

“Yes… yes! Mo Lin greets Senior!”

How could the Black-Scaled Jiao King dare show the slightest neglect? It hurriedly responded with utmost respect.

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“I am Gu Han, lord of Yaochi Immortal Palace.”

Gu Han spoke faintly, directly revealing her identity and purpose.

“I came here today because I feel you and I are bound by fate. Are you willing to enter my Yaochi Immortal Palace and become a Sect-Protecting Spirit Beast?”

“Sect… Sect-Protecting Spirit Beast?”

The Black-Scaled Jiao King’s mind buzzed.

It was a mighty late-stage Mahayana demon king, one of the three giants of the Tianjue Mountain Range…

And she wanted it to become someone’s spirit beast for watching the gate and guarding the courtyard?

This… this was simply an extraordinary humiliation.

A surge of instinctive anger was about to rise, but the instant it touched Gu Han’s calm gaze, it was extinguished.

Humiliation?

Only the living were qualified to talk about anything else.

For this person to crush it to death would probably not be much harder than crushing an ant.

But… but…

The Black-Scaled Jiao King struggled violently inside. It had cultivated bitterly for several thousand years, and only with great difficulty had it achieved its current accomplishments.

For it to give up its freedom and become someone’s spirit beast…

[Ding! Detected that the target is undergoing intense internal struggle. It is recommended that the Host increase the force of persuasion!]

Gu Han’s heart stirred slightly. It seemed she needed to give it a little sweetness first.

“You possess a thin trace of true dragon bloodline, but you have been trapped in a jiao body for a long time with no path to transform into a dragon. Is that correct?”

The Black-Scaled Jiao King abruptly raised its head. An unbelievable light erupted from its dark-golden vertical pupils.

Its greatest obsession, its deepest desire, was to shed its jiao body, transform into a dragon, and soar through the Nine Heavens.

This was an instinct carved deep into its bloodline.

But how difficult was the path of transforming into a dragon?

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It required opportunity, accumulation, and even more, a long span of time.

This human had seen through its roots at a single glance, and had even mentioned transforming into a dragon.

“You… you… you have a way?”

The Black-Scaled Jiao King’s voice was trembling, filled with hope.

With a thought, Gu Han summoned the system interface.

[System, exchange for one drop of true dragon essence blood.]

[Ding! Host’s request detected. Exchanging for true dragon essence blood requires 500 Master Dao Points. Confirm exchange?]

“Confirm!”

[Exchange successful! 500 Master Dao Points deducted. Current remaining balance: 14,450 points.]

As the system prompt fell, Gu Han felt her palm warm slightly. A pale-golden drop of blood appeared in her hand.

The Black-Scaled Jiao King was as if struck by lightning. Its eyes stared fixedly at that drop of blood, unable to move away even a little.

That aura… that call from the source of its bloodline…

There was absolutely no mistake. It was true dragon essence blood!

“This thing is useless to me.”

Gu Han lightly flicked her fingertip, and that drop of true dragon essence blood slowly flew toward the Black-Scaled Jiao King, hovering before it.

“If you are willing to come with me, there will be more essence blood like this in the future. Think carefully.”

Temptation.

Naked, irresistible temptation.

The Black-Scaled Jiao King looked at the drop of blood before it, a drop that seemed to possess magical power. Its breathing grew heavy, and its reason vanished in an instant.

Freedom? Dignity?

Before the hope of transforming into a dragon, what did those count for?

If it followed this Senior, who could casually take out true dragon essence blood, would its future not be bright beyond measure?

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As for being a Sect-Protecting Spirit Beast… guarding the home and courtyard for such a supreme existence seemed… not that disgraceful?

Thinking up to this point, the Black-Scaled Jiao King no longer hesitated.

Its enormous head lowered, and with an unprecedentedly respectful posture, it spoke in a loud and firm voice.

“Mo Lin is willing to follow the Palace Master. From this day on, I will serve before and behind you, with absolutely no second thoughts!”

Gu Han nodded in satisfaction.

Combining kindness and authority really did work.

“Since you have entered my Immortal Palace, you must abide by my rules.”

Gu Han withdrew her pressure and flicked her finger.

A stream of spiritual light entered the Black-Scaled Jiao King’s brow, containing the Immortal Palace’s rules and basic information.

“First, take human form and come with me.”

“As for the aquatic clans of your Black Dragon Pool, have them remain here for now and await orders.”

“Yes!”

The Black-Scaled Jiao King was endlessly excited. It carefully wrapped the drop of true dragon essence blood with spiritual power and stored it inside its body.

Immediately afterward, black light surged around it. Its huge jiao body rapidly shrank and changed.

In the end, it transformed into a young man eight chi tall, wearing black armor, with a firm and resolute face.

Gu Han looked him over. After taking human form, Mo Lin was indeed rather imposing, like a mighty and awe-inspiring general.

“Let’s go.”

“Yes!”

Mo Lin answered respectfully.

He took one last look at Black Dragon Pool, which he had managed for many years. Although there was some reluctance in his heart, there was even more anticipation for transforming into a dragon.

Gu Han waved her hand, and the two figures vanished instantly.